All children possess amazing promise, and if nurtured in a proper environment with challenging opportunities, the sky is the limit. Yet, no child can map out his own future and each of them needs the help of loving adults – parents and teachers. Here are some do’s and don’ts that will help you nurture your child’s potential:
DO’s
Provide a great home environment –The home environment is critical in developing a child’s self-esteem and further, potential. Provide an encouraging, accepting home atmosphere as it helps kids become more resilient and enables them to develop the ability to spring back from adversity and disappointments. Fill your home with resources that your child can use to explore his/her interests and allow your child to assume appropriate levels of responsibility at home.
Read! – Reading at home is the key to a child’s success at school. Spend time reading a variety of books on different cultures, biographies, history and the classics. Don’t merely read to them, but use the opportunity to discuss and ask questions.
Look for more than just A’s – Encourage your child to do his/her best, but be willing to understand that their best may not always translate to an A in their report card. Appreciate the uniqueness of your child; he will naturally show interest in something while needing help in others. Look at their homework and ask them what they’ve been doing at school, talk to their teachers and find out what your child has the potential to excel at.
Offer opportunities for them to spend time with other children with similar interests–A gifted child may sometimes have difficulties relating to peers in a heterogeneous classroom. Give them the opportunity to form friendships with children outside school who have similar interests and abilities. Encourage extra-curricular activities and participation in community organizations.
Take your child’s complaints of “being bored” seriously – It may mean that your child is under-challenged and can be engaged further. This is when you can feed their enthusiasm and investigate after school activities like classes that, for example, teach a new language.
DON’Ts
Don’t have unrealistic expectations – Developing your child’s potential doesn’t mean they should be advanced in all academic areas. Even though they may be very bright, children have atypical learning styles and abilities that differ across subjects. For example, a conceptual learner can struggle to learn when taught sequentially. Recognize your child’s struggles and help them with the skills they need to be successful.
Don’t overschedule their time – No matter how gifted your child is, he/she needs unstructured time for play as well as solitary time to explore his own thoughts and recharge his/her energy. Overscheduling their time in sports, music, extra classes and more can result in stress and burnout. Consider their preferences and allow them to choose their own activities and level of engagement.
Don’t forget that you are the parent–Set reasonable limits and structures but maintain well defined standards for discipline, homework, exercise and nutrition. Maintain consistency in these rules and encourage your child’s opinions in these matters. Another very important point to note here is to avoid putting down your child and comparing them to others.
As parents, you play a critical role in developing your child’s potential. Let’s work together to ensure that your child has access to learning opportunities that meet their cognitive needs.
Let’s collaborate to ensure your kids have access to challenging learning opportunities that meet their cognitive needs. Our goal here at Empyrean School is to get to know our students well enough to help each one develops their existing strengths while developing new skills. At Empyrean School, we believe that children aren’t able to unlock their full potential until they have all the tools for success, hence we focus on skills at every class level, giving these skills just as much importance as reading, writing and mathematics.
1
April